About Us

The New Mexico Legislature established the Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations (CESDP) in 1993, under the auspices of New Mexico Highlands University, to provide technical assistance and professional learning, distribute research findings, offer resources, and advocate for quality in public educational systems.

The CESDP at New Mexico Highlands University is an educational diversity center that provides systemic and sustained professional learning for parents, students, teachers, and administrators in the following areas:

  • Building School, Family, and Community Partnerships,
  • Student Leadership,
  • Culturally Sustaining Teaching and Leading,
  • ELL Sheltered Instruction Strategies and Practices,
  • Implementation of High-quality Bilingual Education Programs, and
  • Organizational and Community Readiness.
CESDP Vision:
A community of stakeholders working collaboratively to co-construct knowledge, foster diversity of voice, and build capacity to positively influence policy and practices that sustain healthy and fulfilling lives.
CESDP Mission:
 CESDP facilitates community-informed, deliberate, collaborative, and sustainable knowledge-building practices that actively value diversity and multiculturalism as both strengths and assets.
CESDP Values:
The values listed below are at the forefront of CESDP’s organizational culture, policy and advocacy work, professional and community training, and servant-leadership practices. CESDP practices respect for community and individual histories, present realities, and dreams for the future. We strive to be inclusive of all voices, perspectives, skills, and knowledge while serving and responding with agility and integrity.
 
  • Respect
  • Inclusion
  • Service
  • Agility
  • Integrity
Programs

Acequia and Land Grant Education Project (ALGE)

Ben Lujan Leadership and Public Policy Institute (BLI)

ENLACE - Northeast New Mexico

Drawing from the well

Drawing From the Well

Program Reports

Bilingual Multicultural Education: 50th Anniversary Listening Tour
Download Report Here

ALGE: Building a land grant-acequia curriculum evaluation report
Download Report Here

ALGE: envisioning a new mexico land grant acequia curriculum
Download Report Here

Statement of Knowledge Building, Belonging, and Representation

CESDP is committed to building knowledge and a deep capacity for reflection while advancing educational excellence by centering the voices, cultures, and languages of New Mexico’s communities. We have been at the forefront of challenging deliberate and unconscious bias within education for over 30 years, fostering partnerships between schools, families, and communities across the state. CESDP is sowing seeds for a future that is powered by collective action and movement, holding ourselves accountable to consistent learning and improvement.

CESDP Blog

As summer winds down and we all prepare to turn the page into a new school year, we at CESDP hope the past few months brought you space to rest, recharge, and reconnect with what inspires you most in your work.
During the month of April, CESDP supported the Association for Bilingual Education of New Mexico (ABE NM) as a platinum sponsor for their statewide 2025 conference.

Visit CESDP on YouTube

CESDP YouTube Sampler

6 Videos
Youtube

Check out our full library of videos on YouTube!